Scientists have made a new discovery of a species of lizard from the coastal forests of northern Kerala named Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) chengodumalaensis
Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) chengodumalaensis: Recently scientists discovered a lizard species named Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) chengodumalaensis in the coastal forests of northern Kerala. This species is founded on the midland hillock in Kozhikode district, with Chengodumala as its type locality. This has led to controversy, as Chengodumala and other coastal hills in northern Kerala have been under immense pressure due to illegal mining and indiscriminate logging for many years.
Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) chengodumalaensis
Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) chengodumalaensis
| Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Chengodumala Geckoella, Coastal Kerala Geckoella |
| Synonym | Cyrtodactylus chengodumalaensis AGARWAL, UMESH, DAS, BAUER & KHANDEKAR 2023 |
| Distribution | India (Kerala) Type locality: Kumaragiri Estate, (11.0378N, 76.1918E, ~140 m a.s.l.), Malappuram District, Kerala, India. |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: NRC-AA-1161 (CES 09/1449), adult male. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A small-sized Cyrtodactylus, SVL < 48 mm (n = 8). Dorsal pholidosis on trunk heterogeneous; smooth, granular scales intermixed with a few scattered, enlarged, smooth to feebly keeled, and weakly conical tubercles; enlarged tubercles sparsely scattered on anterior trunk, becoming denser posteriorly. Ventral scales larger than granular scales on dorsum, smooth, somewhat elongate, subimbricate, subequal from chest to vent; precloacal groove, enlarged precloacal or femoral scales, and precloacal or femoral pores absent in both sexes. Subdigital scansors smooth, entire (except one or two on some digits divided), unnotched; 2–5 basal lamellae on digit I of the manus and 2–4 on digit I of the pes, 5–7 basal lamellae on digit IV of the manus and 7–10 on digit IV of the pes; 7–9 distal lamellae on digit I of the manus and 7–10 on digit I of pes, 7–10 distal lamellae on digit IVof the manus and 9–12 on digit IV of pes. Tail without a series of enlarged median subcaudal scales. Dorsal pattern of four to six pairs of dark rounded spots from behind occiput to between hindlimb insertions, spots occasionally fused along midvertebral line forming horizontal figure 8–shaped marking; postoccipital collar broken on neck into a pair of spots, no regular spots on flanks, darker markings cover more than 50% of dorsum between limb insertions. Ground coloration tan; spots brown in center, edged by black on the outer two to five rows of scales, bordered by one to three rows of scales that are lighter than ground coloration. (Agarwal et al. 2023) |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | The specific epithet is a toponym referring to Chengodumala, a midland hillock where the new species was found in great abundance and some of the type series came from. Chengodumala is under threat from extensive illegal quarrying. |
| References | Agarwal, I., Umesh, P. K., Das, S., & Bauer, A. 2023. A New Spotted Species of the Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) collegalensis (Beddome, 1870)(Reptilia: Squamata) Complex from Coastal Kerala, Southwestern India. Journal of Herpetology 57 (1): 75-86 – get paper here |
| External links | National Center for Biotechnology Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1607/21-075Google images |
Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) chengodumalaensis is a member of the C. collegalensis species complex where the sister species to the new lizard species is the Sri Lankan C. yakhuna, banded form from low elevations. The discovered reptile is found in the ground among leaf litter and rocks in forests, orchards, and other areas with canopy cover. The species is nocturnal and small in size known to inhabit the coastal forests of northern Kerala, which is a habitat that supports endemic biodiversity. The discovery is published in the Journal of Herpetology, an international publication of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, US.
What is the new species found the coastal forests of northern Kerala?
Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) chengodumalaensis is the new species found the coastal forests of northern Kerala
